Circuit interrupter



Oct. 5 1926.

1,602,088 M. H. SHOENBERG ET AL v CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER Original Filed Nov. 22 192 Page; Oct. 5.1926.

" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

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- Application filed November. all, 1924', Sgial No. 751,517. Benewcd May 3,1926.

Our invention. has for its object a device adapted to fit within a conventional electric service socket and to be introduced in series between a terminal of a socket device, such I as a lamp plug or the like, and a terminal of the socket. Y

Ourinvention includes thermal actuated .means for. making and breakin the circuit periodically and is actuated by are heat generated b the flowing current during the period circuit conductivity. The heat sogenerated acts upon a thermal element in ser es in the circuit and causes the separation of contacts thus interrupting the flow of cur rent; thereafter the said element cools and the contacts again come together thus completing the circuit. The flow of current which is now established again heats the thermal element so that there is a continuous alternating making and breaking of the circuitand consequently an alternating energization and de-energization of the device connected in the socket.

The invention herein set forth is an im- Fig. 3 is anenlarged view of our interru ter. ig. 4 shows a heating coil wound upon a strip of insulating material. I

Fig. 5 is a. cross section of the two halves of the interrupter with the thermostat element and insulating sheet about ready for assembling,

Fig. 6 1s aninside view of one of the halves of the insulating material of which the casing of'the interrupter is formed,

Fig. 7 is one of the thermostat plates. Fig. 8 is a side view of the heating coil ready forassembling.v

ig. 9-is a-second t ermostat plate.

10 shows the thermostat element provement on that shown in Patent No.

interrupt or vary current supplie of Fig. 4 withthe insulating strip bent a heating coil therebetween and with the resistance wire and bindin thread shown in cross section. The t ermostat plates and contacts being in the position corresponding with room temperatures.

Fig. 11. is a side view of the thermostat elementflof Fig. 10 with the contacts separated corresponding with a period of interruption when the thermostat plates have beeln raised in temperature by the heating C011 A Throughout the figures similar numerals refer to identical parts.

f A conventional socket is shown at 1 energized from the conductor 2, the other terminal of which is shown at 3 energized from the circuit leg ,4. At 5 is the filament of a conventional lamp having the circuit button 6 and the metallic shell 7. Where our inter rupter is not employed the button 6 contacts normally with the button 3 thus energizing the'lamp from the leads 2-and 4.

' The casing of one of our interrupter buttons is shown at 8 and this consists of the similar halves 9 and 10 held together by any suitable means as the eyelets 11 and 12 and having the external contact buttons 13, 14 respectively. These two halves or insulating discs form in effect a body oi'insulating material having a recess within which is disposed a thermostat or circuit interrupter element, this element serving to re eatedly to the socket. The contacts 13 and 14 being mounted upon opposite sides of the body member, are insulated from direct electrical contact with each other. The body is able to withstand the pressure of the lamp plug since the recess occupies only a minor portion of its cross sectionalarea as measured along a plane parallel to the faces of the body.

These buttons are formed preferably by a drop of solder in eyelets 15, 16 respectively which are set in the casing'halves 10 and 9. The halves 9 and 10 are each molded with a recess 17 for receiving the thermostat element and a shallower recess'18 adapted to receive an insulating plate 19', to provide the requisite insulation between the eyelets 15, 16, and; buttons 13, 14, and conductors 20, 21, leading from the assembled thermostat element in the recess 17.

At22 and 23 respectively are two thermostat plates each comprising a strip of two metals fixed together. The inside portion of each strip (see FigclO) is of brass and the outside metal of each of the strips is steel. Because of the different coefficient of expansion of the metals of which these plates are made, the plates will become distorted under temperature changes. Onthe end of each of these plates is a contact point 24, 25, respectively and between the plates is a heating coil 40 having terminals 26, 21, respectively and wound upon a strip of insulating material 27. The ends of this strip are extended as shown in Fig. 4 and subsequently bent over as shown in Fig. 8 to provide electric insulation between the heating coil and the thermostat plates,

The terminal 26 is connected with the plate 22 and a connection 20 is made with the plate 23. The two plates 22, 23, with the heating coil therebet-ween are pinched together and wrapped with thread 41 as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, and a drop of suitable varnish serves as an insulating binder. The completed thermostat element being as shown in Fig. 11. The terminal 20 is now passed through the eyelet 15, the terminal 21 is passed through the eyelet 14. The plate of insulation 19 is placed in position and the two halves 9 and 10 are now brought together with the thermostat element fitting in the socket formed by the recesses 1717. Binding eyelets 11 and 12 are now fixed through the plates 9 and 10 and a drop of solder at 13 and another at 14 filling the eyelets 15 and 16 provides the terminal conneat-ions for the leads 20, 21, with a sufficient button surface projecting from the surfaces of the halves of the casing 9 and 10 as shown by dotted lines in Fig. '5 and these provide contact points when employed in the socket as shown also in Figs. 1 and 3.

We claim:

1. A thermostat comprising a pair of opposed plates each plate having a contact point at one end and formed of two metals of different coeflicients of expansion an insulated resistance coil between the other end of said plates and one terminal of said coil connected to one of said plates, abinding compressing said plates against said insu-' lated resistance.

2. A thermostat comprising a pair of opposed plates each plate having a contact point at one end and formed of two metals of different coeflicients of expansion an insulated resistance coil between the other end of said plates and one terminal of said coil connected to one of said plates, a binding com ressing said plates against said insulate resistance. said insulated resistance coil consisting of a wire'wrapped about the end portion of a strip of insulation material and the ends of said material then folded right and left'providin an external covering of insulation on eac side of said wire.

3. A circuit interrupter comprising a pair of discs of insulating material fixed together and each having a central contact button, a thermostat as set forth in claim 1 and positioned in a recess in said discs wherein the terminals of the said resistance coil are respectively fixed to the said buttons.

4. A circuit interrupter comprising a pair of discs of insulating material fixed together and each having a central contact button, a thermostat as set forth in claim 2 and positioned in a recess in said discs wherein the terminals of the said resistance coil are respectively fixed to the said buttons.

5. A circuit interrupter of disc form hav ing a central contact button on each side, a thermostat as set forth in claim 1 in series with said buttons, and a sheet of-insulation between said buttons.

6. .Apircuit interrupter of disc form having a central contact button on each side, a thermostat as set forth in claim 2 in series with said buttons, and a sheet of insulation between said buttons.

7. A thermostat comprising a pair of opposed plates each plate having a contact point at one end and formed of two metals of different coeflicients of expansion a re- 'sistance interposed between the other ends of said plates, a binding compressing said plates against said resistance.

8. A circuit interrupter comprising a pair of discs of insulating material a thermostat as set forth in claim 7 interposed between said discs and positioned in a recess therein, a central contact button on each of said discs and connections to one of the 7 plates and one button on the one side and the other plate and the other button on the other side.

9. A circuit interrupter comprising apair of discs of insulating material a thermostat, 1

as set forth in claim 1 interposed between said discs and positioned in a recess therein, a central contact button on each of said discs and connections to one of the plates and one button on the one side and the other 1 J plate and the other button on the other side.

10. A circuit interrupter comprising a pair of discs of insulating material each iaving a recess, said recess adapted to register forming a thermostat chamber, a thermostat as set forth in claim 7 positioned. in said chamber, a central contact button on each of said discs one of said buttons connected to one of said plates and the other button connected to the other plate, and

means securing the two discs together.

11. A device of the class described adapted to be removably positioned within a lamp socket comprising a relatively fiat disc having a recess offset from the center of the same, and an interrupter element operatively disposed within said recess for periodically 1nterrupting current supplied to the socket.

12. A device of the class described adapted to be removably positioned within a lamp 1 socket comprising a pair of insulating discs, means for securing said discs-together, said discs having a'recess formed between their outerfaces, and an interrupter element disposed within said recess for periodically interrupting current supplied to the socket.

13. A circuit interrupter adapted to be removably positioned within a lamp socket and comprising a pair of discs of insulating material fixed together and each having a central contact button, an interrupter element disposed within a recess in said discs for periodicall interrupting current supplied to the soc et, and means for electrically connecting said interrupter element to said contact buttons.

14. A device of the class described adapted to be wholly inserted within a lamp socket comprising a disc, a pair of contacts arranged at opposite sides of said disc, said disc being cut away to provide a cavity be tween its center and outer periphery, an interrupter element disposed within said cavity for periodically interrupting current supplied to the socket, and means for electrically connecting said interrupter element to said contacts.

15. A device of the class described adapted to be removably inserted within a lamp socket, a pair of relatively flat members secured together to form a disc shaped housing, an interrupter element disposed within said housing for periodically interrupting current supplied to the socket, separate electrical contact elements secured to external faces of said members, and means for electrically connecting said contact elements to said interrupter element.

16. A circuit interrupter adapted to be removably positioned within a lamp socket comprising a relatively flat'disc of insulating material, said disc having an elongated recess, an interrupter element disposed within said recess for re eatedl varying current supplied to the soc at, an contacts arran ed adjacent opposite sides of the disc and e ectrically connected with said element.

17. A circuit interrupter adapted to be removably positioned within a lamp socket comprising a relatively flat disc or wafer of insulating material, said disc having a recess interrupting a minor portion of its cross sectional area as measured in a" plane parallel to its faces, and an interrupter element disposed within said recess for repeatedly varying current supplied to the socket.

18. A circuit interrupter adapted to be removably positioned within a lamp socket comprising a relatively flat disc shaped bod} formed substantially entirely of insulating material, said body having a recess, an interrupter element disposed within said recess for repeatedly varying current supplied to the socket, and a pair of metal contacts mounted upon opposite faces of said body and electrically connected to said element, said body serving to electrically insulate said contacts from direct electrical contact with each other.

MILTON H. SHOENBERG. LESTER SCI-ION. 

